My two girls did their speeches for school this week. They did an amazing job! I was so proud of them. Our oldest daughter did her speech about her "crazy family". She talked about our daily life and our family traditions. At first I thought it was a funny topic for her to pick. I didn't think we did things all that differently, and then I thought about it. Maybe we are a bit different.
Gracie wrote about "Best and Worse". At our house we usually eat dinner at the kitchen table. We go around the table and everyone shares what was the "best" thing that happened to them that day, and the "worst" thing about their day. We started this tradition because when our oldest son, Gabe first started school I would ask him about his day. Inevitably he would answer me "nothing much". No matter how many times I would hound him I got nothing. Then we started "best" and "worst". From this I learned about his day, and he shared it willingly. The funny thing is that now when the kid's friend's come over for dinner they ask "are we not doing best and worse?" It gives us a glimpse into their day when I am not there.
The other dinner tradition we have is "The Clean Plate Club". Many a guest has been taken aback at our house after finishing their dinner. To be a "Clean Plate Club Member" you have to finish your dinner. No one "has" to finish their dinner, but if they want the song they do. The song begins with my husband making the sound of a siren (it gets old quickly), then I begin clapping and the kids join in. "Gracie is a member of the clean plate club, the clean plate club, the clean plate club, Gracie is a member of the clean plate club, yeah for her! Yeah Gracie!" I am pretty sure I would think we were crazy if I witnessed it, but the kids love it. We began the "Clean Plate Club" because when the twins were little they would run away from the table. I always worried that they would get malnutrition. Our family doctor assured me they were getting enough, I wasn't sure. I also wanted them to learn how to sit at the table, and enjoy their family's company. The funny thing is that when we began the tradition the twins began eating more, not a lot more, but they liked the song, so they sometimes finished their dinners.
So maybe Gracie is right, maybe we are crazy, but that's o.k., we're making memories (and maybe the kid's will need a psychiatrist when they are older to help them forget those memories).
rock solid family traditions!
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